Art of packaging and package constructions therefor



June 16, 1959 J. w. B. LADD 2,890,792

ART OF PACKAGING AND PACKAGE CONSTRUCTIONS THEREFOR Original Filed July 30. 1953P 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 H H Illl Il l sal 'lh 'lllllllllllllllh lllllllllllllllllllllh lll [zzz/enfer l1-52 'IIIIIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII June 16, V1959 J, w, B, LADD 2,890,792

ART OF' PACKAGING AND PACKAGE CONSTRUCTINS |IHEREFOR OriginalFiled July 30. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lI-HIIIII-Illlllll lI-l` lIlI-IIIIIIIII J.l W. B. LADD June 16, 1959 ART OF PACKAGING AND PACKAGE CQNSTRUCTIONS THEREFOR riginal Filed July 30.. 195:5

4 'Sheets-Sheet 3 J. w. B. LADD June 16, 1959 ART OF PACKAGING AND PACKAGE CONSTRUCTIONS THEREFOR Original FiledJuly 30, 1953v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Z521/ 222 r l 4752121 mfadd gym#- ART F PACKAGING AND PACKAGE YcoNsTinu@rions.rnniutron John W. B. Ladd, Ridgefield;Conn.,-assignorto'Bard- 1' Parkerl Company, lnc.,\'Danhury, Genn.; al corporation of New York .'Continuation of abandoned applicationiSerialNo, 371,314,

LJuly 30,1953. -`This'application*liebnuary 17, 1955,

Serial No. 488,915

.Thisiinvention' relates to. theart of packaging andrnore particularly to packaging of relatively tsmll, .similarly shaped articles'in. pre-assembled. groups inI rshipping containers .The invention has especialfpertinence to packaging of surgical :knifeibladesrofvthe typeV designed-for detachable .mounting onafblade handlef'or holder. Such blades have carefully prepared surfacesye'dges and other L:characteristics which nitv is essential' tot thoroughly` protect lagainstfsdamage,- particularly during transitfrom the point `oi'manufacture. to the point of ultimate use.

In the case zrofthese surgicalknife bladesVf-elaboratc packaging arrangements are particularly undesirable on'account ofthe It isaccordingly a specific purpose ofthe present invention toprovide packaging arrangements yfor such'artic'les which save valuable handling time :byskeyf or 'skilled per- .=sonnel, as forexample the'operating roompersonnel in hospitals.

The package presently to betdescribedas illustrative of the inventiveconcept provides'afar more simple `.and practicall arrangement than'hasl heretofore been avail- .able for the' specific purpose.

Furthermore, itr now bezcomespractical topackage, if desired,1surgical knife blades sterile condition ready-forimmediateuse and in easily accessible form uponunsealing,of/theecartonvor other container in ywhich they are shipped.

VThisapplication 4is a| continuation Yof; copending ap- V-:plication zSerialfNo. -37l,3l4,-liled July `30, 1953, ynovv abandoned. `The subject matter. of'this invention is related to that disclosedl in' another copending' application, Serial No. 371,377, also filed'JulyBO, 19513,Which'- isdireeted-to variousarra-ngernents .forsupporting groups of surgical knife bladesupon a bracketor mandrel.adaptedtogform `-an-.arrn'ofy a rack by attachment to a .standard oesuitable design.

Surgical. knife blades ,of the'type havingashank angui larly,.non=circularly or otherwiseapertured:foriirm and -rigid, but detachable, securernentrto `a blade Nholder-or .handle when usedfor making'an incision, whioh'are simply .thrown ,away after use, .havelongbeen widely used by .surgeonsand Yothersin .the medical profession. -One of .thechief problemsencounteredto .date in the use of such detachable vblades has been the V.fact that, since .the :blades ,must be .carefully protectedduring shipmentvto prevent damaging their `finely prepared or sharpened edges Vand also since .the blades .mayremain .in storagerfor aprotracted .period of time .during which they must .be `protected against rust .or other corrosion, elaborate packaging means have heretofore .been employed. Such practice `has made it necessary .for a nurse .or other skilled attendant preparingblades for use each day to spend considerable time in unpacking the blades and performing the Vvarious otherpreoperative preparations that are required. `In one of the more satisfactory packaging arrangements employed for such surgical blades heretofore, the blades have been inserted oneat a time 4transversely in a strip or webof slits of the iweb for sterilization.

21,890,792 Fatented June 16, 1959 ine `paper havingcooperativepairs'of slits, eachp'air'of y:slits permittingA afblade to" be 'threaded therethrougmdvhereby to `temporarily securefth bladein' theweb. ASubsequently, theweb is rolled-'to'provideia packetinwhicheach' blade is-'isolated from adjacent'bladesbyfintermediate portions ofthe rolledfweb. -Therolledlup'packet is' 'then grouped with others in a protective cardboard container'for :storage and shipment. When the' blades :arefto be used, the

unrolled,l and teach 'mdividuarelade withdrawn :from It is commonpractice thenv to assemble the unwrapped'fbldes in-'groupson an arm or arms permanently secured to a sterilizer' stand.

Since` theseY blades `aref'aperturedin their'ishank 1portion as f mentioned `f hereinabove in'f'order to l permit `proper-ly securing lthem"to 'detachable' scalp'el'1 handles, the-blades 'lization'and' v'individual'blades are removedasneedld.

-4`Surgical Apn-etree requirescutting-instruments 'ofrahigh have a high degree of uniformityiinthei keenness' sov that the cutting action and depth"ofieltbanbeN accratelyfcontr'olledflby ther surgeon-"through hissensef touch. #Denewbladefsubsututd,

shipment have disadvantages from-other standpointsnotably the 4time and careT required' intakingfthebladesfm the# shipping f package fand' preparingv them 1to1" A`sterilization. It'fisrnot attall -uncommonforisome hospi'talstouse fas manyras a gross fof `scalpel fbladesduring-'an-foperating 1 day land the nurse orl other 1attendant prepan`ng`the blades mustv normally`- Spendfibtweenfone-half `to'three-quarters of "an l rhour: in performing -ilh'e'various" operations yof 1un- `xav/rappingand -placingfthem individuallyA on the sterili/Jer rack. And since Arnanyof .thelargerfhospitals may use' two hundred or more gross of the blades leach Weanthefsub- -stantial amount of time "expended `4'by -highly ytrained nurses required"tovensurezproper preparation of theblades `is al matterof realexpense; not to'lrnention the factiht-it takes thesey nursesfavvay from" othermore important-Work for which `'they yarefneeded.

By Way of contrast, a gross of *Ibladesf'packaged-in the manner disclosed herein may be takenffom=their sealed Yshippingcontainer and placedeona sterilizer standin a .m'atterofflO to-15:seeonds. Moreover this 'can befdone by comparatively inexperienced personnel without'fan'y- Where near the lsaine-liabilit'vof damaging'the blades, or

v.of the attendant 'gettingutywhichis-ihherent inthe'old method-ot packaging. i

In general, the novel packaging arrangemenhcom- .prises @he-combination ofa protective outer barton, a

bracket or. mandrel on -Which-the-ap`ertured surgical'blad'es are -threaded, fand'aninternalalnest strlucture aWithin v'the carton on which vtheman'drel is designedto be fdeniuntably seated so as to suspend thebla'ds insubstaiitially immovable condition. T he cross-sectional shape 'l of the mandrel is `such as tov-conform'roughlyfwithithe co'nto'ur vof the blade apertures to preventappreciable svi/inging of the 'blades thereon, `'whilst permitting :slight upward `Vr'novement Iof the blades relative theretov for reasons presently to beexplained. -4-Desirably, IWhenthe'coveris==seced -to the '.carton, Y'a non-critical iportion, Nkile., f-un'sherpened Aedge, of -the-surgical blades rgrou'pedon the mandrelis contacted to press them firmly against the mandrel which in turn is `pressedlirrnlysintothe'aforesad xnest structure.

3 This further helps to prevent contact of the edges of the blades against any portion of the carton or adjacent blades. Another feature is the provision for retaining blades on a mandrel which has been removed from the shipping carton, whereby the blades may be conveniently transported as a group without danger of their falling olf I the mandrel accidentally. Yet by virtue of the aforesaid slight upward movement permitted the blades on the mandrel, they may be removed as desired, either individually or as a group, by withdrawal endwise of the mandrel. As

an important optional yfeature of the invention, the bracket y or mandrel used to support the grouped blades in the package may be provided with attachment means for securing it to a stand subsequent to its removal from the A package as a convenient means of supporting the blades for use.

The carton and mandrel may be constructed of any i suitably stiff sheet material such as paperboard, plastic or metal which has sufiicient rigidity to prevent crushing and consequent damage to the blades. It is presently preferred to employ cardboard or paperboard for the carton and mandrel supports, while the mandrel itself is of light gauge metal. Where the mandrel is to form part of a sterilizer stand, it must obviously be of a material which will not be adversely affected by the sterilizing or germicidal solutions employed.

By a packaging arrangement of this type designed l specifically for surgical blades, not only is it possible to reduce very materially the amount of time required to prepare the blades for operative use, but also to reduce the cost to the manufacturer of packaging the blades in l the first instance. Moreover, by treating interior surfaces of the carton with volatilizable anti-oxidants, all use of rust inhibiting oils or waxes applied directly to the surfaces of the blades can be dispensed with, so that all that is required for unpacking and preparing such blades for operative use is to remove them as a group on a mandrel from the package and then attach the mandrel to a stand ,for placement in a sterilizer. This may be even further simplified by providing a carton capable of retaining a germicidal or other antiseptic solution within which the blades are continuously suspended so that upon openingy y the package the blades are immediately ready for operative use, assuming of course that the steps of opening the package and removing a blade therefrom are carried out ing several particular forms of packages embodying the Yprinciples of this invention.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a completed package Y except that one sealing flap has been left open for illustration purposes;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the inner carton memlber, the cover having been removed and parts being broken away to show the interior mandrel supporting arrangement;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation, on

' line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing surgical blades and their supporting mandrels in nested position within the package;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view in end elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the package shown in Fig.

i 4, the cover having been removed;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a spring clip used for retaining the blades on a mandrel during shipment;

Figs. 7 and 8 are plan views of blanks used in forming the mandrel support or neststructure for the carton;

Figs. 9 and 10 are bottom and Vtop plan views, respectively, of the assembled mandrel support removed from 'l .the carton;

struction designed to accommodate a different type of mandrel, parts being cut away to show the interior in greater detail;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of a package like that shown in Fig. 11, a portion of a cover member being shown here;

Fig. 13 is an end elevational view in cross section taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view in end elevation taken on line 14--14 of Fig. l2;

Fig. 15 is a detailed view on enlarged scale, of a spring packing clip adapted for use with the type of mandrel illustrated in Figs. 11 through 15; d

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a modified mandrel support for mandrels of the type shown in Figs. 3 to 5, certain parts being cut away for greater clarity;

Fig. 17 is a plan View from below of the structure shown in Fig. 16;

Figs. 18 and 19 are side elevational views of the support, one of the outer side members having been removed Y in Fig. 19 to show the construction better; and

Fig. 20 is a plan view of a central panel in the support structure of Fig. 16.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 through 5, the assembled package 20 comprises complementary inner bottom, and outer top, members 21, 22, respectively, which t into close sliding or telescoping engagement with each other. These members are, desirably, constructed of adequately stiff cardboard, paperboard, or similar fiber or plastic sheet material, but it will be apparent that sheet metal can be employed if desired. In the assembled package here illustrated, the two parts of the carton are secured together by adhesive-bearing tabs 23 extending from the end walls 24 of the cover 22. Tabs 23 are adapted to be folded around the lower edges at the ends of the carton and to be glued to the bottom panel 25, as shown best in Fig. 3. Cover 22 is provided with conventional thumb notches 26 in the lower edges of side walls 27 to facilitate withdrawal from the bottom member after breaking the sealed end aps. The inner carton member 21 comprises upstanding side walls 28 and end walls 29, the latter having thumb notches 30 in each of their respective upper edges for a purpose which will be explained presently.

An internal support 31 (Fig. 2) is disposed within 'the inner carton member 21, and mandrels 32 each supporting a group of blades B are adapted to rest on and be positively held by this support against any movement within the box except that they may be withdrawn by simply lifting them straight up out of the open top of carton member 21 when the cover is removed. The internal support or nest structure 31, in this instance, is formed of cardboard or berboard sheet material which is somewhat thicker than that of the carton members 21, 22. As seen more particularly in Figs. 7 through 10, the nest structure is composed of four components formed of the aforesaid sheet material including two d U-shaped or channel members 33 and two flat members 34. Each of the latter members is die-cut from sheet stock and has an inverted L-shaped notch 35 and a corner notch 36 in its upper edge. The supporting member 33 is die-cut from similar sheet stock to provide a blank such as that illustrated in Fig. 7, having a central panel 37 and opposite end panels 38 connected to the central panel by comparatively narrow necked or bridging portions 39. Each of these latter portions is provided with a slit or score line 40 extending the width of the bridge portions and roughly halfway through the thickness of the material. In preparing this blank for assembly, the end panels 38 are bent along slits 40 to extend at right angles to the central panel 37, the end panels remaining hinged thereto by the unslit portion of the material between the respective panels to form a channel Two of these members are placed back-toback with their central webs or panels 37 in contact .opposite sides of the carton when assembledftherewith.

This assembled neststmcture is adapted to fit closely within the bottom or inner memberll so that'when the blades are placed therein in groups on their respective vvmandrels, there can be no lateral shifting of the .various parts within the completed package. Central panels 37 of blank 33 form apartition dividing the lower carton member 2l into two compartments, each ofvwhich is adapted to contain two groups lof mandrel-supported blades. As shownkmore especially in lFigs. 4 and 5,

mandrels 32 are in this instance substantially flat, platelike brackets which pass through apertures A of the surgical knife blades B. AperturesA are conventionally keyhole-shaped, as seen in Fig. 3, and the mandrels are in general of such thickness and transverse width that the blades carried-thereby, although so confined or encircled by the elongated or non-circular periphery of said apertures A as to `be incapable of any substantial movement invplanes transverse to the axis ofthe mandrel (except upwardly to the limited extent hereinafter indicated for purpose of removal),vare nevertheless easily threaded on over an end 32a of the mandrel and are -freely slidable longitudinally thereof to an-extent controlled by the kconiguration of the .upper edge `0f -the mandrel. Each group of blades -suspended on aman drel is held during shipment `as ga compact unit against movement longitudinally thereon by abutment of the end blade at the inner end of the-stack against a pair of shoulders 4.4, 45, positioned Yaboveand below, grespectively, the central blade-supporting portion ofthe mandrel 32. A spring clip- 46, having loops or bends 4'7 which fit into an ,aperture 48 in mandrels 32 and exert a pressure lengthwise of the mandrel against the outer blade of the group, maintains the blades in compact arrangement. Spring clip.46 isa :temporary restraining member only, used simply in shipment of the blades in the aforesaid manner. After the package isopened and the blades have been removed as a .group along `with their mandrel, this clip is.easily grasped by its upper end and pulled free of the mandrel to allow separation of the blades and removal of them individuallyfrom the group as desired by sliding themover the outer free end of the mandrel. As can best'be seen'in Fig. .4, the upper edge of the mandrel 32 is formed to provide a retaining depression which is effective to hold the blades from being accidentally spilled off the free end if the mandrelV is inadvertently tipped in transporting the blades to the sterilizer. Apertures A are just-f sufficiently longer than the transverse width of the mandrel, however, to permit the blades to be lifted relative to the mandrel enough to remove them over the retaining` lip at the outer end 32a of the mandrel when desired.

The nest or mandrel-supporting 'arrangement of the package shown in the drawings positions each group of blades in a depending position with the backs of the blades in each group held rrnly against either an end wall 29 or a partition 37 Aso thatthe sharpened edges of the Yblades are vheld away from all of the components of theppackage and each other. This pressing of the backs of the blades against a Wall of the carton is effected by .pressure of the opposite ends of each mandrel against the vertical edges of notches -in nest-structure 31fat each corner of the carton as will be described more -fully hereinafter. Thumb notches 30 in end walls 29 rand similar notches 37a in partitions 37 allow access of the thumb and forenger of a person to the upperk ends of vmark VPI of the -Shell Oil Company.

.As seen more ,particularly ,in Figs. 4 and leach-,mandrel rests Aat its oppositeendsupona shoulderor. ledge vformed by theupper edgesof the nest structureSlz-.so

that the. tips `oftheblades are spaced from lthe floor of ,tl1ecarton. .The ,free end 32a yof the mandrel restson the upper edge 49 of member 34, while,the,opposite end is supported by the upperedge tl'formingthe bottom of the notch ,S1 betweencentral panel 37 ,and panel' 38. While it will be obvious that .itis not a necessaryy feature of the invention, the particular form of mandrel- 32,'. illustratedis formedat its inner endto providea socket .engaging portionfi by which it is adapted to beailxed to a stand after removal from thepackage and thereby provide a supporting bracket or arm forthe bladesin use. This socket arrangement is Vdescribed in more detail inthe aforesaid copending applicationof Ladd and Arden, Serial No. 371,377. The recesses formed bythe Avshort leg of the L-shaped .notch 35 and the corner notch36 in members 324 Aallow the projection 53 of themandrel, on which the lowerv abutmenttS/forblades Bis formed,

, to extend downwardly below-the main body portion of the mandrel without interference from the support members. At the ends of the. carton, the support for .brack- ,ets 32 is `similar to the arrangement adjacent partitions V377, but in this case is provided by shoulders 50a on pan- 4els 381and the upper edges49. of members 34.

against which they areA placed. The notches 35, 36,l provided irl-members 34 Y are kdisposed accordingly in the assembled structure. `In each case also, the vertical edges of the notches formed in the nest structure at each cor-ner of the carton are so spaced from the-adjacent wall asy to force the ends of the bracket toward that wall-when `a complement of blades is carried thereon. Thiscauses the backs of blades AB Ito bepressed firmly vagainstthe wall and further preventsrelative movement of the ,blades Vin the completed package.

T o eliminate the necessity f orusing rust inhibitingoils Vor waxes on the blades, lthe interior of fthe cartonand surfaces of thenesting members can be treated withone of the varioustypes of ,vapor-phase inhibitingmaterials available commercially, for example, under the .trade- In general, these materials consist of .avolatile organic nitrite such1as Vdicyclohexylammonium nitrite or` di-isopropylammonium metal shield 'S4 is placed between the backs of theblades and the adjacent A,carton wall. As shown more particularly in Figs. .2 and 4, shields 54 are provided with projecting tabs at each of their respective side edges, which tabs are held between the end edges of side members 3,4 and an end panel 29 of the inner carton, or rbetween a partition37 andan edge of'notches l3 5 gofgmembers 34, so as'to retain the shields in placein the carton. The shields are positioned in this manner simply by sliding them vertically down along the-respective walls of the carton after lthe nest structure 31 has'been placed in the carton. 1

ployed to support the blades.

60 comprises telescoping carton members 61 and 62, as 25 during shipment.

slightly above the open top of the inner carton member 21 prior to placing the cover 22 thereon and sealing the carton. The purpose of this is to cause the inner surface of the top of cover member 22 to contact the aforesaid upper edges of the blades and to force the blades downwardly against their mandrels when the cover is pressed A ,possible to construct the containers including the internal d support for the brackets of sheet metal or plastic. In such fully down and the sealing tabs 23 are folded under the ends and secured to the bottom of the carton. Where the inner surface of the cover member 22 is also coated with one of the previously mentioned inhibitor materials, a

metal shield 56 is fitted snugly against the upper inner 15 Surface of cover 22 against which the blade ends abut, thus preventing actual contact at this point between the blades and inhibitor material in the completed package. Naturally, plastic or other sheet material can be substituted for the metal shields specifically mentioned above. 2'0

The modified package construction illustrated in Figs. 11 through 15 is similar to that shown in the preceding figures but differs primarily in the type of mandrel em- The assembled package before. Inner member 61 has a bottom panel 63 to which are attached upstanding side and end panels 64, 65, respectively. Mandrel 66 in this instance is double-ended, in that the means by which it is secured to a stand after removal from the package comprise horizontally extending anges 67, 68, disposed substantially intermediate the oppositely projecting arms 69 upon which the blades B are suspended. When mandrel 66 and its associated blades are removed from the carton,

the blades in each group at opposite sides of the anges 67, 68, are adapted to be withdrawn over the respective free ends of arms 69 as required for use. Reference is again made to the aforesaid copending application of Ladd and Arden for a description of the type of stand with which this particular bracket or mandrel is designed to cooperate. When disposed in the package 60, mandrels 66 extend the full length of the inner carton 61 at each side thereof, the backs of blades B in each group being in contact with the inner faces of side walls 64. The mandrels are supported in this position by means ofv shoulders 70 of supporting members 71 which may sim- 45 ply be press-tted or, if desired, glued or otherwise secured to the inner faces of ends 65. An auxiliary supporting block or wall 72 is also provided at each of the ends, the height of this block being just suicient to bring its upper edge ilush with the upper edge of shoulders 70.

Each of thesesupporting blocks 71 has an integral portion 73 extending above the shoulders 70 so that there is a notch formed at each corner of the carton in which the ends of the mandrels are retained. When the ends of the mandrels are engaged in these notches, the vertical edges of portions 73 press the ends of the mandrels, and

' the backs of the accompanying blades, against the side slit or aperture 75 adjacent the outer end of each arm 69 so that the legs of the clip bear against the outer 65 blade of each group and press the group firmly against an inner abutment afforded by shoulders on flanges 67,

' 68. Here again, clips 74 are used only to prevent movement of blades longitudinally on the arms of mandrels 66 When the mandrels are removed from the shipping carton preparatory to using the blades, the

spring clips are withdrawn and discarded.

Although not illustrated in Figs. 1l through 14, the carton may be impregnated or internally coated with a rust or corrosive inhibiting composition. In the latter case protective shields similar to those described in connection with the package illustrated in Figs. 1 through 5 l should be provided along each side wall 64 and the inner surface of the top panel of cover 62 to prevent rubbing of the blades directly against the coating composition.

The material from which the cartons hereinabove described are constructed has been referred to as being fcardboard or similar liber sheet material, since it is at present generally more economical to employ this type of material. As mentioned previously, however, it is a case, a Vgermicidal solution, to which the plastic or p sheet metalemployed is passive, can be placed in the carterial and while the construction shown in Figs. 2 through l0 may also be made in plastic as shown, it is better Y to preform members 33 in channel shape rather than bend them from at stock. The presently preferred arrangement however, which may be made either of plastic sheet material or of cardboard, is shown in Figs. 16 through 20. The support 80 there illustrated is quite similar in most respects to that shown in Figs. 2 through 10 but by a slightly different arrangement of component parts it is possible to eliminate the bent or channel ,shaped pieces. In this construction, paired support members 81, 82, are disposed at each side to lie along opposite side walls of the carton member within which they are adapted to be placed. These paired members form a yoke for supporting a central transverse partition which, as here shown, comprises a pair of identical members 83. Each of the latter is provided with a set of lower shoulders 84 and upper shoulders 85. In the assembled structure, the lower shoulders are engaged by the side walls of a notch 86 formed in inner side members 82, the lower ends of `the shoulders resting upon the bottom of notches 86. The upper shoulders, in turn, are confined primarily by the walls of notches 87 in the outer side members 81, but also to a small extent by a portion of notches 86, as seen in the drawings. The shouldering of the outer and inner side members 81 and 82 to provide the supporting shelf areas for the respective bracket-andblade groups is identical with that in Figs. 2 through 10 and accordingly need not be further described here.

Modifications of the various specile examples illustrated in the foregoing description will be obvious. Thus, internal supports or so-called nest structures of the foregoing types can be formed as an integral unit in plastic by molding or casting, for example. Similarly the entire carton with nesting or other internal supporting struc- 0 tures can be cast or injection molded as an integral unit. f The invention therefore is to be construed as encompassing all such modifications which are mere equivalents and which properly fall within the scope defined by the following claims. What is claimed is: l. In a package construction, the combination, with a carton, of plurality of detachable surgical knife blades each having an elongated aperture of substantially continuous periphery in its shank portion, a mandrel passing through the aperature of each blade and so encircled f Athereby that the blades may not be removed transversely of the mandrel, support means provided in said carton upon which said mandrel rests to suspend said blades with their tips spacedfrom the bottom of said carton, and retaining means on said mandrel for said blades comprising a retaining depression formed in the upper edge of the mandrel within which the upper margins of said blade apertures are normally engaged, said mandrel having a cross-sectional shape conforming approximately With the shape of said blade aperttnes but sufficiently smaller in size to permit blades to be freely slid longitudinally of the mandrel and over an end thereof into and out of said depression, while preventing appreciable swinging movement of the blades about said mandrel.

2. A package construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said mandrel is provided with a fixed abutment beyond which said blades may not be slid.

3. A package construction as defined in claim 2, which further includes resilient means for temporarily compacting said blades in a group on the mandrel against said fixed abutment, said resilient means being detachably secured to said mandrel.

4. A package construction as dened in claim 1, wherein a plurality of blade groups, each supported on one of said mandrels, is contained in said carton, said support means for said mandrels having retaining notches within which the ends of each mandrel are laterally conned to hold said blade groups in spaced relation to each other to prevent contact between the sharpened edges of blades in adjacent groups.

5. A package construction as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said blade groups is supported by its respective mandrel with the backs of the blades in each group pressed against a carton wall.

6. In a package construction for shipping detachable surgical knife blades having apertured shank portions, the combination, with a carton having complementary bottom and cover members, of means for securing said cover member to said bottom member in the completed package; mandrels supporting groups of said blades by passing freely through their apertured shank portions; retaining means associated with each said mandrel for retaining said blades thereon independently of said carton; a nest structure within said bottom carton member on which said mandrels are removably seated to suspend respective groups of blades within said carton, said nest structure having partitions dividing said bottom carton member into compartments and having members extending across opposite walls of said compartments, said nest structure having notches formed in its upper edges adjacent each corner of said compartments; each of said mandrels in the assembled package being disposed substantially parallel to a compartment wall and having its opposite ends engaged in a cooperating set of said notches, whereby the unsharpened backs of the blades in the group supported by each mandrel are pressed against a wall of a compartment.

7. In a package construction for shipping detachable surgical knife blades having apertured shank portions, the combination, with a carton within which the blades are packed, of a mandrel supporting a group of said blades by passage freely through their apertured shank portions and by which they are removable as a group from said carton; retaining means associated with said mandrel for retaining said blades thereon independently of said carton; mandrel supporting means within said carton comprising an internal nest structure forming supporting walls across opposite inner faces of said carton, said walls having notches adjacent the corners of said carton and said mandrel being disposed with its ends in opposed notches so as to span said carton and suspend said blades adjacent a carton wall, said blades having their unsharpened back edges pressed firmly against said carton wall by abutment of the ends of the mandrel against the vertical edges of said notches; a cover for said carton, which cover in the assembled package contacts an unsharpened portion on the periphery of said blades to compress them against their supporting mandrel and the mandrel against upper edges of the notches in said supporting walls; and means for holding said cover on said carton in position to maintain such compressive coaction between the cover and blades and thereby retain said blades in substantially immovable suspension on said mandrel to prevent contact of their sharpened peripheries with any component in the completed package.

8. A carton for use in shipping apertured detachable surgical knife blades grouped upon a supporting mandrel capable of passing freely through the blade apertures, said carton comprising complementary inner and outer members fitting in close telescoping engagement; a nest structure disposed within said carton for supporting a mandrel and its group of blades, said structure including two U-shaped spacer members disposed in back-to-back relation to cause the legs thereof to extend oppositely along opposite inner faces of said inner carton member, said U-shaped spacer members having shoulders disposed adjacent opposite corners of said carton between which said mandrel is adapted to extend to support its group of blades; locking members adapted to retain said U- shaped members in said back-to-back relation, said locking members having notches extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof and said U-shaped members having notches extending upwardly from the bottom edge thereof, said locking members being assembled with said U-shaped spacer members so that their respective notches interengage and said locking members lie along the inner faces of two oppositely extending legs of said U-shaped members.

9. In apackage construction for shipping detachable surgical knife blades having apertured shank portions, a carton, a mandrel supporting a group of said blades by passage through their apertured portions, a nest structure upon which said mandrel is removably seated to suspend said blades within said carton and retaining means associated with said mandrel and engaging the opposite ends of said group of blades, including a removable retaining spring engaging said mandrel and at least one of the ends of said group of blades for retaining the latter in a compacted group on said mandrel independently of said carton.

10. A package construction as defined in claim 9, wherein said mandrel is provided with a fixed abutment adjacent one end against which said blades abut, and having an aperture adjacent its other end; said retainer spring being inserted in said aperture and held in compression between the outer edge thereof and the outer face of the group of blades to resiliently hold the latter against said abutment.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 115,175 Davis May 23, 1871 1,076,709 Schrepler Oct. 28, 1913 1,519,738 McGowan Dec. 16, 1924 1,709,034 Nelson Apr. 16, 1929 1,785,416 La Bombard et al Dec. 16, 1930 1,799,656 Tinsley Apr. 7, 1931 1,886,211 Mix Nov. 1, 1932 1,895,406 Blechman Jan. 24, 1933 1,938,370 Bodkin Dec. 5, 1933 1,971,258 Hilliard Aug. 21, 1934 2,131,358 Rothschild Sept. 27, 1938 2,285,731 Magley June 9, 1942 2,529,819 Simon et al. Nov. 14, 1950 2,534,201 Hutter Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 178,268 Great Britain Apr. 20, 1922 752,771 France July 24, 1933 

